Page 3 of The Boss

“I want you to prove you still have the edge. Pick an intern. Any intern. Call her up here, keep her entertained for an hour, and let’s see if you’ve still got it.”

“You’re joking.”

“Oh, I am not.” She stands, her grin taking five years off her age. “Wanna bet on it?”

A bet? How old are we again?

“I’m not betting anything,” I say. Can’t even look at her right now.

“I’m serious. Call up any female intern you want. See? I’ll let you have the advantage of choosing which one. Preferably one leaving at the end of the quarter, though. I know your confidence loves to cause drama from here to Miami.”

“I don’t understand why we’re discussing this.”

Presley likes to invite herself into my office, both during and after work, all the damn time. Yet this is probably one of her most annoying impromptu visits in a while. She walked in talking about going to a club later to pick up a girlfriend, and oh, did I want to tag along? Because, as she was keen on reminding me, I haven’t gotten “mad action” in a couple of weeks. For shame. Been cooping myself up in my office trying to get caught up on the quarterly reports. I do this every third month. You’d think Presley would be used to it by now.

“Because we need to spice some things up around this office. Remember college? We got into so much trouble.”

“Yes, but it’s years later and we’re not acting like that any longer.” Presley needs to grow up. She’s a brilliant businesswoman, but her personal life is a mess. Usually, it’s not my problem if she keeps it clean for our corporation. Shit like this, though? Frustrating.

“Come on. This once. Humor me. You know you want to.”

A snort shoots through my nostrils. “What? I pick a random woman and… what? Try to seduce her as if I’ve been thinking about it for weeks?” I’m being kind to myself here. Usually, when I set my gaze on a short-term office romance, I think about it for a whole month. You know, weighing the pros and cons of possibly upending the office and getting in trouble. I’ve never dated an intern or some other employee who didn’t enjoy every hour of me spoiling her silly, but there’s always a first time for ending up in the news for the wrong reasons.

“Sure. Two-hour time limit. If you can call her here under other pretenses by the time I get back at 10:30, you win the bet.”

“What the hell do I win?”

“Besides a good time with a charming young woman? Whatever you want me to do. Because I’m proving a point here.”

I say the first term that comes to mind. “You’re heading all the staff meetings. For the next month.”

“The next month? Deal.” Maybe that’s not a big deal for her, but it is for me. I hate every social aspect of this job, particularly those that demand me to talk to people who are way below my intellect. I have to explain everything. Be patient with them. Talk to them like they’re five. And that’s only theirjobs. God help me if we’re at a social function and they make an ass out of themselves. I had to take etiquette classes growing up. Why didn’t the fools we employ? I know Oregon has some of the worst public education in the country, but really, they can’t swing a diplomacy lesson here or there? Besides, so many of our ignorant interns come from out of the state. I honestly expect more of the New York and Boston ones, but here we are.

I sigh again. “I’m sure you have something up your sleeve if I lose the bet.”

“If I win? Oh, hm, let’s see.” Presley taps her chin. “If I win, you have to come to Rio with me so we can get you some action.”

“I’m not going to Rio.” Presley’s been planning an excursion to Brazil for the past month. She gets around the PNW, but our jobs are demanding enough that we rarely get real vacations, and this trip to Brazil is supposed to be a giant sexcapade. That she keeps inviting me to. Please, like both of us can go on vacation for a week. We don’t have time for that. I’m working double to cover her ass that week.

Besides, if I’m going on vacation, I’d rather head to Europe and appreciate some fine art and cuisine. The party scene is notme. Give me a few good friends, a private room with a poker table, and let the French wine destroy our livers.

“You’ll come with me to Rio if you lose the bet. We’re shaking on it.”

She holds her hand across my desk. Reluctantly, I shake it. “This is the last stupid bet we’re making for a while.”

Presley pulls a stack of personnel files from the corner cabinet. The ones we print out as backups in case “the grid” goes down. “Admit it. You like the challenge.”

“I thought my argument was that seducing women wasn’t a challenge.” It’s not, either. I’ve never had a problem getting female attention when I want it. Let alone likethis.We’re not even talking about dating here. Even then? Any woman I want. It’s almost boring.

“That’s what I’m saying. It will be a fun challenge.” Presley hands me the stack of files for our female interns. “Go on. Have your pick. Call her up here for some stupid reason, like you need a file. Then seduce her.

“What?”

“Uh, I mean… well, keep her entertained for an hour. I’ll be back at 10:30. I’ll need proof.”

“What are you talking about?” I’m still hung up on her assertion that I will be seducing anyone. “What kind of proof.”

She winks at me.

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